US Sends Next Volley in Trade Dispute
The U.S. is taking the next step to levy $50 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese imports to protest alleged technology theft. Late Tuesday the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published a proposed list of products imported from China that could be subject to additional tariffs.
The proposed list covers 1,300 products from such industries as aerospace, information and communication technology, robotics, and machinery. Some of that machinery includes agriculture equipment.
In March President Trump announced that the United States would retaliate against alleged theft of intellectual property by Chinese companies. The White House says China policies “coerce American companies into transferring their technology and intellectual property to domestic Chinese enterprises.”
The USTR filed a request with the World Trade Organization to address China’s technology licensing requirements. This is typically the first step in the WTO dispute settlement process.
The proposed list will now undergo further review in a public notice and comment process. After completion of this process, USTR will issue a final determination on the products subject to the additional duties.
